Chapter 57: Streaming the Future
March 2007 – From Silicon Valley to Washington, D.C.
Thursday – 6:17 a.m. – Los Angeles International Airport
Jake Harper adjusted the brim of his baseball cap and tugged his hoodie a little lower as he moved through the private TSA line. He didn't love airports, especially now. Too many stares. Too many whispers of, "Is that him?"
His backpack was light, but his thoughts weren't. His mind raced through every slide, every question that might come up, every scenario that could derail the conversation.
Callum walked a step behind him, scanning their itinerary on his FacePhone. "No press. No public appearance. Just you, Hastings, and one clean pitch," he said without looking up.
"Confirmed," Jake replied, his voice low but focused. "One hour, no interruptions. Just clarity."
Callum nodded. "And then it's wheels up. You head straight to D.C. Red-eye leaves at ten. Your mom thinks you're spending the weekend working from home."
Jake smirked. "Then let's keep it that way."
---
10:34 a.m. – Netflix Headquarters – Los Gatos, California
The Netflix lobby was everything Jake expected—sleek, understated, filled with the quiet buzz of a company on the verge of reinvention.
Employees glanced his way as he walked past. A few double-takes. One guy dropped his coffee.
Reed Hastings entered the lobby with a calm, easy confidence, dressed casually in a button-up and sneakers.
"I have to admit," Reed said, shaking Jake's hand, "I didn't expect the CEO of FaceWorld to be shorter than my kids."
Jake smiled. "You get used to it."
They entered a spacious, glass-walled conference room. No distractions. Just the pitch.
---
11:03 a.m. – Private Conference Room
Jake placed a slim manila folder on the table and slid it across.
"Netflix is on the verge of a transformation," Jake began. "You've beaten Blockbuster. Your DVD model is strong. But you're still tethered to physical media. Streaming isn't your future. It's your now."
He tapped his FacePhone. "I've already built the rails. We have a million devices out there. All with native streaming capabilities. YouTube's under our umbrella. FaceWorld connects users instantly. What we need now is premium content delivery."
Reed flipped through the folder: terms, metrics, scaling forecasts.
Jake continued, "I'm offering $3.6 billion. Cash and stock. No hostile moves. You stay on as CEO under our media division. But this?" He gestured to the folder. "This gets you ahead of Apple, ahead of Google."
Reed leaned back, his brow furrowed. "And what happens if I say no?"
Jake shrugged lightly. "Then I replicate what you do in six months. Maybe less. But I'd rather build with you."
There was a pause.
Then Reed smiled. "You really are something else, Harper."
Jake smirked. "So I've been told."
---
1:20 p.m. – San Jose Airport
Jake moved quickly through the terminal. His next destination? Washington, D.C. His meeting with Netflix had gone better than expected—no guarantees yet, but the door had opened wider than he'd dared to hope.
He slid into his seat on the plane, pulled his hoodie over his head, and checked his messages.
Senator Roth: "Briefing begins 9 a.m. Friday. Private tech subcommittee. Dress sharp."
Jake closed his eyes for the first time that day.
Sleep came quickly.
---
Friday – 8:56 a.m. – Federal Tech Building, Washington D.C.
The polished marble floors of the Federal Tech Building echoed faintly with footsteps. Jake stood in the lobby, watching the light spill through the tall windows. His navy blazer was newly tailored, pressed to perfection. He carried no notes, no briefcase. Everything he needed was in his head.
A woman in a gray suit appeared. "Mr. Harper? They're ready for you."
He followed.
---
9:02 a.m. – Tech Policy Subcommittee Briefing Room
The chamber was high-ceilinged and lined with dark wood. Ten officials sat in a curved row, watching him as he stepped up to the podium. Some looked curious. Others skeptical. One looked openly annoyed.
Senator Roth, seated at the center, offered a cordial nod. "Mr. Harper. Thank you for coming."
Jake nodded. "Thank you for inviting me."
Roth folded his hands. "You've changed the digital landscape. FaceWorld has more than 100 million users. Your devices are outselling projections. You now own YouTube. Your streaming platform is expanding. And you're still... a teenager."
"Thirteen," Jake corrected with a wry smile. "But I'm working on fourteen."
A few soft chuckles broke the tension.
A Homeland Security rep leaned forward. "Our concern is not with your age. It's with the scale of your influence. You own the world's largest communication platform. You control a significant portion of the world's mobile OS market. You have access to more user data than any government agency."
Jake looked around. "Then I guess the real question is... how did you let that happen?"
That shut them up.
He let the moment breathe, then added, "I'm not here to destabilize anything. But I won't be handed a leash, either."
Senator Roth nodded slowly. "We're not asking you to give up control. We're asking you to help us understand what comes next."
Jake nodded once. "Then let's be honest. I'll collaborate. But I won't be controlled."
---
10:12 a.m. – Private Room, Post-Session Briefing
Jake sat at a smaller round table now, across from Senator Roth and two aides.
"We want to form an advisory board," Roth said. "You'd be a consultant. Non-voting. We loop you in on new tech legislation. You keep us in the know on the tech curve. In exchange, we ask for basic data transparency and ongoing communication."
Jake considered that. "As long as I'm not expected to report weekly to an oversight committee, I'm open. But make no mistake: FaceWorld operates on user trust. I won't compromise that."
Roth nodded. "Understood."
---
Friday Night – Brentwood – 11:37 p.m.
Jake finally stepped through his front door, more exhausted than he realized. His bag dropped to the floor with a satisfying thump.
He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the bed, the lights from his custom server rig humming softly nearby.
He checked his FacePhone.
Inbox:
Netflix: "We're interested. Let's schedule a second meeting."
FacePhone Sales Report: 2.9M units shipped
Media Alert: "Jake Harper Meets With Washington Officials – Privacy Advocates Concerned"
Video from Haley: Her face smiling, mouthing, "Call me when you're free."
Jake grinned.
He tapped out a message to Callum:
Jake: Netflix is moving. Let's prep acquisition paperwork and get legal ready. First thing Monday.
Callum: Got it. You sleeping tonight?
Jake: Maybe. Eventually. If Haley doesn't call first.
He put the phone down, folded his arms behind his head, and exhaled.
The world was moving fast. But for tonight, at least, he could rest knowing he was moving faster.
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